LAHORE, June 24: The Punjab University has decided to take entrance test for admission to all of its academic programmes for the forthcoming academic session 2004-05.

The decision was taken by the university's admission committee at its meeting held here on Thursday. The meeting, chaired by Prof Dr Dil Mohammad Malik, decided that the entrance test would have 30 per cent weightage while academic record would have 70 per cent weightage.

The candidates will be required to secure at least 40 per cent marks in the entrance test. The university will display the test samples and outlines a week before the test on notice boards of the respective departments.

The committee decided to hold another meeting on July 1 to finalize the test criteria. Discussing general admission policy decisions and changes in admission criteria for teaching departments, the meeting decided that all graduates from other universities as well as of the Punjab University would be required to take the entrance test to be given by respective departments, institutes and constituent colleges of the university.

The meeting also decided that there would be no increase in the price of prospectus. Vice-chancellor Arshad Mahmood called for ensuring quality and standard of education instead of enhancing the quantity of students. He said the departments should establish separate sections to accommodate more students in a programme.

IER Director Prof Dr Munawwar Mirza, Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, Prof Dr Mohammad Arif Butt, Prof Dr Akram Chaudhry, Prof Dr Nazir Ahmad and Prof Dr Moeen Mazhar also attended the meeting.